Just a Shot in the Dark (But I Found You)
by allthingsavenger
Summary: Steve hasn't necessarily had say, a smooth ride in life. And some of the things thrown his way aren't really comparable to lemons, either. Then meets Tony- wonderful, charming, brilliant Tony, at a hospital. Coincidence, fate, chance circumstances or pre-determined destiny, in the end, he's glad his life panned out the way it did.
1. Prologue

"Boarding call for flight AA-190 to Argentina. Please make your way to Gate 47 immediately."

The bland voice over the PA system was too loud in Steve's ears as he tried to move through the throng of people pushing and shoving around him. They had no time to pause, no time to look around and certainly no time for anybody besides themselves. Steve's head pounded, a manic, unrelenting rhythm.

_Please hurry, oh God, move,_ was all he could repeat like a mantra to himself. A family shot him angry glares as he jostled past them but they hardly registered through his clouded judgement.

"Sir, please stand behind the line and wait for the light to turn green," an airport official admonished and Steve had to wait for an agonisingly long moment while the man in front of him passed through the metal detector.

Of all the people to be randomly selected, it had to be him.

"Please," he said, forcing back the thickness in his throat as the official pulled him aside, taking out a sterile cotton swab.

"Please, I _have_ to get to the flight before it leaves. _Please,_" and he had to stop, swallowing back the tears which tried to force their way into his eyes.

"I'm sorry Sir, but random checks are routine." And that was just that, wasn't it? An airport official didn't have time for other people, he simply did what he was expected to, and that was his job.

"This is the final boarding call for flight AA-190 to Argentina. Please make your way to Gate 47 immediately."

Steve hesitated for a split second, blood pounding in his ears and his heart made the decision for him. He ran, because if he didn't, there would be nothing left to run for.

He didn't look back.


	2. Part 1

It was October and Fall was at its peak. Leaves swathed the pavement, crunching noisily beneath Steve's feet at he wandered aimlessly through his neighbourhood. Half past five, his watch read. He sighed and turned around, heading back the way he came, feet automatically tracing familiar steps. He breathed deeply, taking in the clean scent of the street and gazed at the long shadows cast by the dropping sun.

He walked slowly but not without purpose, watching as a string of children crossed the road holding hands, an older sibling fretting over them. Steve smiled to himself, a slight turning up at the corners of his lips.

He reached the hospital within ten minutes but instead of going in, simply stood outside and watched as people came and went. He stood, lost in his reverie and was slowly pulled out of his pensiveness by a loud commotion.

"I didn't do anything!" a scrawny kid protested as a beefy boy grabbed him by the front of his shirt. The larger boy sneered and opened his mouth to say something.

"Hey!" someone shouted and Steve along with the two boys turned to find the source of the voice. A shock of brown hair and a confident grin were the first things Steve noticed as the man strode towards the argument.

"What's the matter, boys?" he asked presumptuously and folded his arms over his chest in a gesture of disapproval. The burly kid shot him a look of contempt. "None of your business, faggot."

The cocky grin disappeared immediately and was replaced by a look of irritation.

"Alright, let the kid go," he demanded. The beefy boy stared him down, unmoving for a second then shoved the other boy away from him.

"Go home," the man said curtly to the scrawny kid who was all too happy to oblige.

"Listen here," he began, and his tone was angry, resentful. "I don't know what your problem with that kid was, but violence sure as hell isn't going to get you anything except maybe a seat downstairs, and while we're on the topic, I'd like to point out that your language is offensive and disrespectful and-"

Steve acted quickly but not before the burly kid landed his blow. The man doubled over, his face a grimace of pain as he covered his stomach with his arms.

Steve didn't say anything, just grabbed the kid's arm as he threw his next punch. He twisted the boy's arm slightly so that he was forced to spin off-center. He turned back to Steve with a glare. Steve stood his ground, levelling him with a glowering stare until finally, the kid turned and left, but not before spitting on the ground in derision.

"Are you alright?" he asked the brunette and grabbed the man when he stumbled.

"Yeah," he said, but Steve could see it was an effort. He supported the smaller man's weight, leading him over to a bench where they sat, the brunette still clutching his stomach.

"Got a knack for getting into trouble," he said with a breathy chuckle. Steve let out an amused huff.

"Not disagreeing there," he said. "Is it bad?"

The man grimaced. "Yeah, but it'll be alright after a minute."

"Steve," and he held out his hand when the smaller man had straightened up. He looked at Steve's outstretched hand for a second, considering it before shaking. "Tony."

"Nice to meet you," Steve said, grinning. "Even if the circumstances were a bit..." he shrugged. "Bizarre."

"You could say that," Tony agreed. They sat for a minute in companionable silence before Tony stood.

"Well I gotta be where I gotta be," he said with a quirk of his lips. "Nice meeting you."

"You too."

"And uh, thanks for- well, for saving my ass I guess."

Steve laughed. "You're welcome," he said and they parted ways.

He spared a glance at his watch as he entered through the automatic doors. Five fifty. Five minutes late, but that was alright, Thor wasn't pedantic and besides, he visited him every day anyway.

* * *

Thor healed fast. His metabolism amazed the doctors who praised him for being, well, him.

"Out in the afternoon, huh?" Steve commented from where he stood in the doorway. Thor chuckled.

"Aye, it would seem."

Steve looked thoughtful for a minute, staring out the pristine glass windows at nurses and doctors passing by.

"Thor grinned mischievously. "Get me a coffee?"

Steve smiled back at his friend's enthusiasm. "Someone's feeling well today," he said and left Thor up to whatever mischief he got up to each day at the hospital.

The closest cafe was a two minute walk from the hospital. "Flat white with extra cream, please," he ordered at the counter. The coffee took a while but Steve waited patiently as the barista hit together spoons and milk jugs together behind the counter. An aspiring musician, maybe.

Steve smiled quietly to himself. Today looked to be a good day. Thor was going to be out of hospital, the local art campus had accepted his application to teach and even the weather was holding up nicely. All in all, the brightest of days in a while.

"Flat white," the barista said loudly although quite unnecessarily since he was the only person there. Steve graciously collected his beverage and thanked him.

He took his time getting back, stopping briefly to watch young children laughing and playing and dogs barking at cyclists who whizzed past them. He acknowledged the people he passed with a smile as he wandered down the corridor towards Thor's ward.

He could hear Thor laughing as he passed by the ward adjacent to his. He stopped and pursed his lips. Was that-? He turned back slowly, narrowing his eyes and blinked.

"Huh," he man from yesterday, Tony, was in the ward next to Thor's.

He hesitated for a second then entered, glancing around the room at the medical readouts that he didn't even try to decipher.

"What're you in for?" he asked when Tony looked up at him, an expression of pleasant surprise crossing his features. He chuckled. "I was in an... accident, a while back. Had to get metal in four of my ribs."

Steve winced and Tony laughed at his reaction. "Anyway, I'm still healing and tore some damaged tissue the other day when that kid beat me up." He cast Steve a shamefaced grin who let out a disbelieving chuckle.

"Is that coffee?" he asked suddenly, perking up at the beverage in Steve's hand. Steve looked down. "Uh, yeah."

"Oooooooh," said Tony then caught himself with a barely suppressed laugh. "No chance it's for me?"

Steve shook his head with a smile. "Sorry, it's for uh, Thor who's right next door."

Tony dropped his jaw in an aghast expression. "Speaking of which," Steve continued, "I should probably get it to him. Catch you later."

"Catch you later," Tony agreed amicably with a nod and Steve backed out of his ward. Thor was talking to a young doctor, or more accurately, flirting. He barely noticed Steve, acknowledging the requested coffee with tip of his head. After a minute of third wheeling awkwardly, Steve slipped outside and wandered back down to the streets. He passed by familiar paths and found himself in front of the cafe he'd just visited.

"Huh," he said and went inside. The barista eyed him suspiciously as if he was trying to suss out whether Steve was trying to rob him or not.

"Uh," he said while he tried not to twitch. "Flat white?" and it came out as a question. Awkward.

The barista went back to his musical endeavours and Steve heaved a sigh of relief. The coffee was delivered and Steve fumbled embarrassingly with his money, almost dropping a coin down his shirt.

He made it back to the hospital without causing an international incident which was a relief. Tony was where he left him, sitting in his ward looking thoroughly bored.

"So later turned out to be sooner that later," he said and then frowned, wrapping his head around the confusing sentence. Tony chuckled. "More coffee not for me?"

"Actually," Steve passed over the hot drink. Tony looked surprised then his features softened into a grateful quirk of his lips. "Thanks."

Steve just smiled. "Thor's out today so he's feeling pretty well, chatting up some petite doctor in the next room." Tony laughed.

"I'm out this afternoon too," Tony said, perking up.

"It's a good day today," Steve mused. Tony nodded, taking a tentative sip of the hot coffee.

"Can't disagree there," he agreed and sighed contentedly. Steve kicked up one side of his mouth in a crooked grin.

* * *

Tony's friend, Clint, was waiting for them just outside the entrance of the hospital when they left together. He eyed Steve and Thor as if sizing them up, then commented cheerily, "picked up two big blond boyfriends, Stark?"

Tony laughed. Steve stuck out his hand. "Steve," he said and was gratified with an earnest handshake. Thor fist-bumped him.

"Need coffee or I'm gonna die," Clint said melodramatically to Tony who raised an eyebrow at him.

"There's a cafe about two minutes walk from here," Steve put in helpfully and after a shared glance around the group and some shrugs, they decided to head in that direction.

The barista glowered at them from behind the counter as they entered.

"This place is pretty dodgy," Clint said in a dramatic whisper as they sat around a table waiting for their coffees. There was a collective nod.

"It's pretty cosy in a way, I guess," Steve said and Tony added, quietly incase the barista heard and yelled at him, "yeah, the coffee's non existent, but hey, who's complaining?"

Apparently the barista had heard him though, because he ended up shifting uncomfortably in his seat while the barista glared lasers into his back.

"Why am I always the one who gets in trouble?" he whined childishly.

* * *

Steve strolled idly down the street to the dodgy cafe they had had coffee at the day before and smiled a small smile to himself. He wasn't sure what attracted him to the place, since the barista was certainly less than friendly and the coffee took an age to make. It was, in retrospect, probably related to the fact that unlike the fancy bars and posh restaurants in downtown Manhattan, it wasn't pretentious. The faded colours of the decor and the simple furniture put Steve at ease and felt unmistakably like home.

He entered and both the tinkling of tiny bells above the door and the glower he received from behind the counter were becoming familiar. The one unfamiliar thing was, however, the presence of other customers lounging around by the windows.

Steve did a double-take and blinked. Clint waved a hand at him from the window and he waved back. He ordered his coffee and then drifted over to where Clint was sitting.

"Hey, you," Tony said when he came into view. "Hey, you," Steve replied and smiled.

"Fancy seeing you guys here," he said, "thought you said the place was dodgy?"

Clint shrugged, "it's got a strange appeal." Steve nodded thoughtfully and pulled out a chair beside Tony. "It does, doesn't it?"

Steve's phone rang and he picked up asking, "what's up, Thor?" into the receiver.

"You off work?" Thor's voice asked, sounding tinny through the earpiece. He continued before Steve could answer. "Want to hang around the cafe we went to yesterday?"

"Uh," Steve said and huffed in surprise. "I actually happen to be at the cafe with Clint and Tony."

Thor's tone was surprised when he replied. "What a coincidence!" he said then added as an afterthought, "Natasha said she'll meet us there, she's coming by."

"Okay, great," Steve said and Thor hung up.

"Thor and Natasha are coming by," he announced to the other two and Clint openly jabbed Tony with his elbow. "Ooooh girls," he sniggered and Tony almost snorted coffee up his nose. Steve chortled, earning himself a half-hearted scowl from Tony.

Thor entered the cafe loudly a few minutes later, almost knocking over a chair and catching it just in time. He hastily replaced it, fractions of a second before the barista turned to cast him a suspicious look. Steve grinned and waved and Clint pulled out a seat for him.

"My friends!" Thor beamed and sat down, plonking a bright red football he was holding onto the table. There was a clatter of teaspoons and Thor winced. The bells chimed and Natasha entered. Tony and Clint eyed her up and down and even the barista didn't look so angry, at least not for half a heartbeat. Then his eyebrows bunched together and he dropped his spoon.

Steve was confused for half a second and then Natasha led a baby moose into the cafe. Her demeanour was perfectly calm and she had a completely straight face. The moose sniffed a table leg. Overall, it was pretty well-behaved. The barista stormed over and the moose made a squeaking noise and hid behind Natasha's leg.

Natasha said something in a soothing voice to her moose then turned to face the barista. Holding up a hand, she spoke too quietly for anyone to hear. The barista narrowed his eyes, positively seething but didn't make a move to stop her from leading her moose to their table. It shuffled along obediently behind her.

"It's better behaved than you," Clint whispered to Thor behind his hand and he stifled a laugh.

"What on earth did you say to placate him?" Tony asked, regarding her with a grudging respect. She just smiled, flashing neat rows of teeth and tapped the side of her nose.

"Spoilsport," Clint muttered and she arched an eyebrow in his direction. He cowered in his seat and shut his mouth.

"Uh," said Steve. "Everyone, Natasha." She grinned and it turned out to be somehow scary.

"Natasha, Clint and Tony," Steve said, indicating them respectively.

"Achilles," Natasha said and the baby moose lifted its head expectantly. Tony blinked, "you named your pet moose after a greek hero?"

She shrugged absent-mindedly. "His heels are tender," she said as if that explained everything. Clint stared at her open-mouthed.

Natasha ordered a black coffee. "Thanks Phil," she said when the barista gave her the beverage. He nodded but didn't say anything, eyeing Achilles dubiously. She took a sip then looked up to a tableful of stares.

"Whoah," she said.

"How did you know his name?" Clint asked on behalf of everyone. She gave them a disbelieving look. "He had a nametag?"

They spent the next few minutes playing a game of try-to-look-at-the-barista's-nametag-out-of-the-co rner-of-your-eye-without-him-noticing. Their table received many glares. Natasha sipped at her coffee cooly.

There was a commotion and a crash and the next thing Steve knew, Achilles had knocked the table and there was coffee everywhere. Clint had a sheepish look on his face. Natasha looked at him with a blank look, unfazed.

Phil however, was turning a very dangerous shade of red.

"OUT!" he yelled, waving a spoon in one hand and a milk jug in the other. "OUT RIGHT NOW AND I DO NOT WANT TO SEE YOUR MISERABLE FACES FOR THE REST OF THE DAY."

There was a collective wince and they all shuffled outside awkwardly, except Natasha who delicately led Achilles to the door with encouraging hand gestures.

"Did you try to feed him coffee?" Natasha deadpanned when they were outside. Clint gave it his best shit-eating grin.

Natasha crouched down and whispered something in Achilles's ear. The baby moose proceeded to walk up to Clint and stamp on his foot. Natasha clapped while Steve, Tony and Thor laughed until tears streamed down their cheeks. Clint clutched his foot and shrieked like a girl.

Steve could have sworn Achilles was grinning.

* * *

Steve drove Tony to work when they discovered it was on the way to Steve's workplace where he taught for a few weeks at a time in an art workshop. They hung out together in their ragtag group at Phil's cafe on a regular basis and Tony introduced them to another of his friends- Bruce. Thor met a girl, the doctor who'd taken care of him at the hospital.

And one afternoon, Clint turned up at the cafe with his arm around Bruce's waist.

"I didn't know that that was how you uh, displayed completely platonic affection," Steve said when he saw them. Clint gave him a long hard look and rolled his eyes.

"They got together," Tony whispered secretively into Steve's ear. "Right," Steve whispered back.

They did their very best to ignore them making out in the corner of the cafe.

* * *

"Thor left for a weekend trip with Jane," Steve said conversationally as they drove to Tony's workplace one morning.

"Mmhm," was Tony's reply before he suddenly groaned and put his face in his hands. Steve looked over at him from the driver's seat. "What?"

Tony grimaced, "Clint forced me to go on a double date with him and Bruce but I don't have a date. So I forgot to ask you earlier but pleeeease can you come with me, we'll just chill or something cos I'm too chicken to ask Natasha."

Tony looked surprised when Steve laughed. "Are you laughing at me?" he asked suspiciously.

"Maybe," he said.

* * *

Steve completely regretted agreeing to go with Tony when they made him play truth or dare.

"Why do I have to go first?" he wailed and apparently 'cos you're blond' was a legitimate reason. "That is hardly fair!" he whined but caved when they all looked at him expectantly.

Clint took out his phone and opened the app 'Truth or Dare.' He grinned gleefully and looked positively akin to a mad scientist.

"Hmm, kids, teen or extreme?" Steve's eyes widened in horror when he tapped 'extreme' and he covered his face with his hands.

"Truth or dare?" he asked Steve.

"Truth," he said from between his fingers after a moment's hesitation because God only knows what they might dare him to do.

There was a pause as Clint tapped the button and began to read, "would you rather make out or get dirty with the person on your left?"

Steve flushed a bright pink and dropped his hands away from his face. "What?"

Clint grinned wide and bright, "you heard, pretty boy."

Steve cast an abashed face to his left at Tony. Tony grinned and suppressed a laugh.

"Make out," Steve said in a tiny voice and the flush was burning all the way past his neck. Clint and Tony laughed. Bruce grinned. Steve felt extremely embarrassed.

"You next!" Clint said loudly and pointed at Tony. Tony tapped the 'dare' button.

"Flip a coin. If it's heads, go topless for the next five rounds. If it's tails, go bottomless for the next five rounds."

"I'm regretting this," Tony said and flipped a coin from his pocket. Heads. He yanked his t-shirt over the top of his head and chucked it onto the sofa. "I am relieved," he proclaimed, "since I have no desire of going bottomless for any amount of time."

Clint chose dare.

"Whisper what you would love to do to the first person to your left," the screen read. Clint grinned at Bruce who groaned. Steve and Tony laughed when Bruce turned a bright pink. Clint pulled away looking very self-satisfied. Bruce chose 'truth' on his turn.

"Have you ever been dirty in a car?" Clint read out loud and raised his eyebrows.

"No!" said Bruce with a horrified look. Clint eyed him and commented, "well, you're not much fun."

Bruce gave him an appalled look.

Steve stuck with 'truth' and got the question 'Do you sleep naked?"

He shook his head, wide-eyed. Tony got dared to 'Sit on someone's lap for the next five rounds.' Since Clint and Bruce were out of the picture, he sat in Steve's lap.

"I'm so glad I flipped a head on the other round," he chuckled and Steve turned bright red, again.

"Say the words 'in bed' after everything you say for the next 20 minutes." Clint howled with laughter.

Bruce chose truth and Clint read it, "when did you have your first kiss in bed?"

He pointed indignantly at the phone and corrected, "when did you have your first kiss?" Clint shrugged dismissively.

"In my first year of university," and that was all he would say.

Steve was asked how many people he'd slept with at which point he blushed an even deeper shade of red and pressed his lips together.

"How many in bed?" Clint asked, leaning forward. Steve didn't say anything. Tony eyed him quizzically.

"Wait a minute," he said after a moment of thought. "You aren't a virgin are you?" Steve's frigid silence was enough of an answer and suddenly there were two guys laughing and one with a raised eyebrow.

"Stop it, guys," he protested but to no avail.

"For the rest of the game," Tony read when it was his turn, "blurt out an exclamation randomly."

Clint had to 'Rub noses with each player.'

"What the heck in bed," he said and rubbed noses with Bruce who gave him an endearing look. Steve tried to keep a straight face when Clint bumped noses with him, made all the more awkward by Tony sitting in his lap and finding it appropriate to exclaim "I like sushi!"

"Do you really in bed?" Clint asked him and he shrugged. "Why not?"

Clint almost fell on Tony trying to rub noses with him. Steve and Bruce just laughed.

Bruce went for a dare this time and he had to 'trade pants with the person on your right.' Steve hid behind Tony while they stripped and swapped clothes. "Macaroni!" Tony shouted.

Steve followed suite and picked dare.

"Kiss the person next to you," Tony read. Steve looked alarmed until Tony pointed out that it didn't have to be on the lips. They decided that Tony wasn't technically next to Steve as he was sitting in his lap. So Steve gave Bruce a peck on the cheek and breathed out a sigh of relief.

Tony was made to swap shirts with Clint but since he didn't have a shirt, he just took Clint's. "Rude in bed," Clint said. "Merry Christmas!" Tony replied as he pulled it over his head. Clint had to choose someone to draw a tattoo on his cheek.

"Bananas are a great source of potassium!" Tony shouted and drew a wonkatated elephant on Clint's cheek. On closer inspection from Bruce, he announced that it looked more like a retarded moose with wings.

According to Clint, Bruce had to "give a piggyback ride to a player in your group in bed." He ended up giving Clint a piggyback around the room, during which Clint waved a spoon around his head and pretended to command his "army of minions in bed."

Steve picked dare and turned scarlet when Clint read, "describe what kind of underwear you are wearing... prove it if someone questions you in bed."

"Nope nope nope, not happening," he said, burying his head behind Tony and refusing to answer anyone. They did however, end up getting an aggravated shout of "plain boxers!" which was apparently an acceptable answer because no one questioned him further. "Shawarma!" Tony shouted triumphantly.

Steve shook his head and smiled into Clint's shirt which Tony was wearing. "Holy shit!" they heard Clint exclaim. Steve looked up. "In bed," added Clint absent-mindedly. He squinted at his phone then pointed jubilantly at the corner where there was a tiny button which Steve hadn't seen previously.

"What is that?" Tony asked suspiciously. He squinted and read the button cautiously, "weird shit."

Eyebrows went up around the room. Tony shrugged and tapped it. It disappeared.

"Well, okay," he said and clicked the dare button.

"Prank call your parents," he deadpanned. Tony gave the phone an unimpressed glare. "Well gee, thanks," he said, "my parents are dead."

Steve looked horrified while Clint snorted. He clicked dare as well and choked laughing when he read 'Wear a paper bag on your head that says 'My mother is ashamed of me'.'

"I knew it!" he shouted then added "in bed," and Tony replied by shouting, "invisible flamingo!"

Bruce was dared to go to the neighbours and ask for an umbrella. "Oh my god," Steve groaned, "these people are my neighbours, they're going to think I'm crazy!"

They hid around the corner outside the apartment next to Steve's and giggled while Bruce knocked.

"Hi," the girl who answered said cheerfully.

"Uh hi," Bruce said awkwardly and shuffled uncomfortably around on the spot. "Can I please borrow an umbrella?"

She stared at him for a moment then glanced out the window. "It's not... raining though."

"Yes," Bruce said, "but I really need one. I'll give it back, promise." Clint shoved a fist under the paper bag and into his mouth, shaking from laughter.

She handed him a bright pink umbrella and he thanked her. The second she closed the door, Clint and Tony fell onto the floor, silent laughs making them shake. Steve bit his lip but couldn't help laughing along with the other two. Bruce was mortified.

They went back to Steve's apartment with the addition of a pink umbrella. Steve picked dare. "Put on a blindfold and slow dance with a partner. Try and guess who it is."

"Oh great," he groaned but allowed Bruce to tie a blindfold over his eyes. He stumbled a bit, disorientated by the sudden loss of sight. There was whispering to his right so he turned in that direction. After a pause, someone gently took his hand and grabbed his shoulder. He stepped uncertainly and found his partner's waist.

They danced slowly, in a traditional ballroom style dance and Steve concentrated on trying to figure out who it was. It wasn't Clint, he surmised after a minute since there was someone quietly cracking up to the side and he assumed that was Clint.

After a long moment, he hazarded a guess, "Tony?" There was a chuckle and a slow clap from someone and he pulled off the blindfold. It was Tony. He grinned. Steve grinned back.

"Late at night I lay in bed looking up at the stars and I think: where the heck is the ceiling?" Tony declared royally.

They decided there was time for one more. Clint and Tony were double dared to walk around the block shouting 'I love men.' Steve thought he was going to cry. Bruce looked like he was going to die.

They took off the minute they got outside, walking around the block with Clint still very much shirtless.

"I love men!" Tony shouted gleefully, but not quite as gleefully as Clint who shouted, "I love men in bed!"

The reactions were the funniest thing Steve had ever seen. Some people saw Clint's paper bag and burst into laughter, some looked shell-shocked and some looked absolutely mortified. One teenager almost tripped laughing.

Steve laughed behind them until he cried. Bruce clutched his stomach. Tony and Clint made it back around the block in just under twenty five minutes. They high-fived each other triumphantly and then they all stood around panting.

"That was fun," Steve said breathlessly.

"Yeah," Tony agreed, "we should definitely do that again sometime."

Clint took off the paper bag and draped an arm around Bruce's neck. They stood for a minute, catching their breaths.

"Guess we're going then," Clint said after a while. "Thanks for coming, guys."

Steve gave him a broad grin and watched as they left, leaning into each other.

"They're cute," he commented to Tony who nodded his agreement.

They stood for a moment longer and it was Tony who broke the silence. "Thanks," he said, "for saving my ass- again."

Steve looked at him in surprise. "For coming," Tony clarified.

"It was fun," Steve assured him and was thoughtful for a long moment. "I haven't had this much fun in... in ages."

"Yeah," Tony said after a while. "Yeah, me neither."

* * *

"Espresso! Espresso! Espresso!" everyone chanted and Steve tipped his head back and drank the coffee in one go. He put the shot glass down and grinned around at his friends.

"Bottoms up!" Clint said and tipped his head back too. They went around the circle, skipping Achilles who sat patiently next to Natasha's chair and groomed himself.

The barista Phil made music behind the counter and brought them trays stacked with espresso shots in shot glasses.

"I dare you to take five in a row," Tony said to Clint who grinned devilishly at him. "Double dare."

They lined up five glasses in front of them.

"You guys are crazy," Bruce said but he was smiling, a giddy look on his face from all the shots he'd taken.

"Ready, set, go," and Steve watched, fascinated as they emptied one, two then three, four and five shots of espresso.

Tony shivered violently for a second then grinned up at the rest of the group. "That was awesome."

Natasha raised a challenging eyebrow. "Let's play knockout," she said, gesturing to another tray of shots which Phil had brought over.

"That sounds like a mighty challenge," Thor nodded agreeably and they split the shots evenly between them.

"Bet you twenty bucks I'm gonna win," Clint declared for everyone to hear. Natasha gave him a long, hard look, "you're on."

Tony leaned over the table and whispered in Steve's ear, "bet you twenty Natasha's gonna win."

"No way," Steve whispered back, "I'm not just gonna give you money."

They knocked back eight shots each before Bruce and Steve surrendered good naturedly. Steve blinked as they continued and he could feel the caffeine making him feel hyper. He suppressed the urge to giggle girlishly.

Another four shots and Tony dropped out, two more and so did Thor. Clint stared at Natasha who stared back, unblinking.

Steve counted three, four and then five more and by then, Clint was looking a little bit like a crazy person. Finally, he stared at his shot glass for a long unmoving moment and then with a groan, pulled a twenty dollar bill out of his pocket and threw it unceremoniously at Natasha.

"Thank you," Natasha said collectedly and claimed her prize.

Achilles snorted.

Steve sat back and looked around, watching his friends cause a ruckus and shout over each other. He saw Tony, gesturing wildly with his hands while Clint batted at his face and Thor who's laugh thundered throughout the entire cafe. He saw Natasha with her cynical expression which didn't quite hide her smile and Bruce soaking up the atmosphere and smiled to himself.

Despite the odds, life was good and Steve was happy. He watched his friends argue and shout and tease each other and tried to stay sane as about fifteen shots of espresso entered his bloodstream and went straight to his brain.


	3. Part 2

Steve's car was away for maintenance which meant he had to walk to and from work for a few days. It also meant that Tony did a lot of half-hearted whining about walking.

Today the weather was miserable, drizzling throughout the day with the occasional downpour which soaked you to the skin if you weren't prepared. Steve sighed and grabbed his umbrella, the bright crimson catching the meagre light of the afternoon when he opened it.

Tony looked just as miserable as the weather when Steve saw him waiting two steps outside the revolving doors of his workplace.

"I didn't bring an umbrella," he said dejectedly when Steve was within hearing distance. Steve kicked the side of his lips up in a crooked smile. "We can share."

Tony cheered up considerably after that and he talked enthusiastically non-stop. Steve didn't say much, occasionally agreeing or nodding. He liked listening to Tony talk, he liked the way there seemed to be an endless amount of things he had to say and the ways he would move his hands as if they helped him to communicate. He reminded Steve of the simple innocence he saw in children.

A bus tore past them in its rush to get somewhere and water cascaded onto the pavement, splashing them both. Steve cringed at the sudden cold of the water and Tony squawked in terror and clutched at his arm.

A young boy ran past them, tugging his sister's hand and they squealed in delight as they splashed through the puddles. Tony peered out at them from behind Steve's arm and Steve laughed. He put his arm fondly around his friend and swatted at the water on his shirt. Tony shivered.

"This is why I hate buses," he grumbled and Steve gave him an affectionately exasperated look.

"And rain," he added.

"It's not that bad," Steve chided and Tony sighed dramatically. When they reached Tony's place Steve stopped at the door. "Wasn't so bad, was it?"

Tony turned around with a sullen look to face Steve.

"Well, actually-" and he stopped, looking up at Steve who blinked back, barely inches away. He let out a breath slowly and reached up a hand gingerly to brush back a bit of Tony's disheveled hair.

Steve heard Tony's breath hitch slightly over the sound of the rain and swallowed, blinking down at Tony's lips and leaned towards him involuntarily.

His heart sped up wildly at the contact of Tony's lips which were soft next to his own. He smelled like the rain and his fingers were soft when he tangled them in Steve's hair, pulling him closer. Steve moved his hand to the small of Tony's back and held him there, one hand supporting the still upright umbrella as their breaths mingled.

They broke away breathlessly and Tony smiled hesitantly up at him through his thick lashes. They just stood there for a moment breathing heavily before Tony said "you were right."

"I was?" Steve murmured. Tony gave him a crooked smile and whispered "it wasn't that bad."

They stood in the rain for a few more minutes resting their foreheads against each other before Tony caught his lips again in a lingering kiss and then went inside.

Steve walked back to his apartment with a slight spring in his step and didn't noticed when a torrent of rain cascaded onto the footpath and drenched him from head to toe.

* * *

They had gone on a dinner date to one of the local restaurants and returned to Steve's apartment and were lying on the couch. Steve had his back propped up against one end of the couch and his feet on the other and his arms around Tony who was lying face up between his legs with his head resting on Steve's chest.

Steve pressed his face into Tony's hair and smiled against it, inhaling the familiar scent of the brunette. Tony leaned into him and tilted his head back to smile at Steve.

"You're beautiful," Tony said and reached up a hand to touch his cheek. Steve tightened his arms and pressed his cheek to Tony's hair.

"You're beautiful," he echoed with a sigh and felt Tony humming contentedly. He reached up and tangled his fingers with Tony's, marvelling at the way his hand fit perfectly next to Tony's smaller one.

After a moment of quiet breathing, Tony untangled their fingers and flipped around so that he was facing Steve.

"I had a girl once," he started and Steve tensed imperceptibly. Tony smiled wryly.

"Virginia Pepper Potts but everyone just called her Pepper," he confided softly and there was a hint of guilt in his voice.

"But she left me like everyone else did and I don't blame her. I always felt- inadequate around her and I-" he breathed out a long, shuddering breath, "I'm just a shitty boyfriend."

Steve stared at him for a long moment then pulled him close, wrapping his arms around the smaller man.

"I don't think so," he whispered and stroked Tony's hair.

"You don't?" Tony asked in a small voice.

"Not a bit," Steve said and as he held Tony close, he thought about how he'd had a girl too but just like Tony's girl, she'd left him lost in the world without a light to guide him in the darkness.

* * *

Tony turned out to be devilishly good at thinking up date ideas which is how Steve found himself wrapped in a blanket with Tony on the rooftop of his apartment block one morning before the sun had even awoken.

They were sitting facing the east waiting patiently for the first hint of dawn when Tony shivered and consequently, Steve wrapped his arms tighter around the smaller man and rested his chin on Tony's shoulder. Humming, Tony tilted his head to the side and pressed his cheek into Steve's.

They sat, each listening to the quiet breathing of the other person and when the first rays of light peeked over the edge of the horizon, Steve let out a slow breath which condensed in the cold air. Tony didn't move and after a moment Steve realised that he'd fallen asleep.

"Hey," he whispered, gently nudging the sleeping brunette and kissed him softly on the cheek.

"Steve," he mumbled incoherently and nestled himself closer to Steve, pressing into his chest. Steve stroked his hair fondly and kissed his forehead. The sun crept over the horizon slowly, taking its time and Steve breathed in the morning air deeply.

The incandescent morning light illuminated the sky and brought a new life to the world along with old griefs. The birds stirred in their nests and an old heartache was roused as Steve remembered the cold morning that Peggy had died and left him feeling that he would never be happy again.

"Thank you for saving me," he whispered barely audibly and held Tony as close as he could before burying his head into the brunette's neck. Tony stirred slightly at the movement and blinked awake, dazed.

"Steve," he breathed and smiled his heartbreakingly tender smile. He reached up his hand and touched Steve's cheek ever so gently as if to let him know that it was going to be alright and looking into his liquid brown eyes, Steve realised for the first time just how much he needed Tony.

* * *

"Our record," said Tony into the phone, "is only the size of a dining table."

Clint said something and Steve watched as a grin broke out on Tony's face and suddenly, the world seemed like a brighter place.

"Hurry your slow asses over here," he crowed in triumph and dropped the phone into its cradle, turning to face Steve.

"We are on a mission," he announced and raised his arm, regally pointed upwards with one raised finger.

"Are we now?" Steve asked and sidled over to him.

"Yes we are, Steve, now don't you distract me," he said in his best stern voice. "We need all the blankets, sheets and pillo-"

Steve cut him off with a kiss and after a frustrated grumble he felt Tony succumb, throwing his hands in the air and then tangle his fingers into Steve's hair. He wrapped his arms around Tony's upper back and smiled at how fast the brunette lost his train of thought.

He could kiss Tony forever, Steve thought as their breaths mingled and all he could focus on was Tony, Tony's lips, Tony's hands in his hair and Tony's warm breath against his skin.

"_Steve_," he whined against his lips and pressed his hand into Steve's face ineffectively.

"Mm?" he answered and Tony responded by prodding his cheek until he let the brunette go.

"Evil, fiendish, diabolical Steve who everyone thinks is an angel but oh no! Don't be fooled! If only the world knew how devilish you _really_ were, Steve."

Steve smiled innocently and Tony tried to look cross but the affectionate tug at his lips gave him away.

"Stop it Steve, we need blankets and sheets and pillows. Clint and Bruce are going to be over very, very soon and we are going to build a fort."

"Alright, if it makes you happy," Steve said and leaned towards Tony but he put a hand on Steve's chest and leaned back.

"It _does_ make me very happy," he said with a serious look. Steve nodded earnestly. Tony gave him an unfaltering stare.

"You are hopeless," he grumbled finally but he moved his hand from Steve's chest and let him pull him into a gentle kiss.

* * *

"Holy shit, we are freaking awesome!" Clint proclaimed and hi-fived Tony before diving head first into their fort.

Bruce followed close on his heels and Tony grabbed Steve's hand, tugging him under the 'doorway' of their fort. Steve grinned at their handiwork, the sheets supported by abandoned clothes lines and thin ropes tied to various points around his apartment. They had separated the fort into two sections and in total, it covered the area of about five dining tables.

"It's so cozy," he commented when they were sprawled carelessly around on the pillows and blankets concealing the floor.

"Mhm," Tony answered and gave him a kiss on the cheek. On the other side of the fort, Clint and Bruce battled it out in Mario Kart on their Nintendo DS's.

Tony tapped away on his tablet and Steve sketched in the soft lines of Tony's face in his sketchbook.

They stayed like that until the daylight had faded enough that Steve had trouble focusing on his sketches and he straightened into a kneel.

"Where are you going?" Tony asked him, looking up anxiously.

"Just wait here and see," Steve replied mysteriously and ducked out of the fort. It took him a good ten minutes to locate his Christmas lights and once he had them, it took another ten minutes to drape them evenly across the outside of the fort.

Steve poked his head through the door to a screech of "noooooo, Princess Peach!" and looked around, catching Tony's eye.

"Steve," he sighed happily, putting down his tablet and smiled.

"Hi, Tony," Steve replied with a smiled and flicked on the lights. They flickered to life in sections and he watched, captivated by Tony as his face lit up like a child's on Christmas day.

"You are the best, Steve," he said when Steve returned to his spot and lay down on the mass of blankets and pillows.

"You are my favourite person," he said, poking Steve in the middle of his chest.

Steve smiled and stole a quick kiss.

"And you're _my_ favourite person, Tony."

* * *

Tony had something to finish one lonely day and Steve wandered around the neighbourhood, feeling lost and disorientated without the familiar routine of picking Tony up at his workplace. He strayed absent-mindedly along the footpaths until he found himself outside the familiar entrance of their favourite cafe. Someone waved at him from inside and he blinked to see Natasha smiling at him from a corner table. He waved back and went inside, ordering his coffee and sitting down opposite Natasha.

"How have you been, lately?" she asked conversationally and Steve smiled dopily as he thought about Tony.

"Great," he responded and rubbed Achilles's head affectionately. Natasha watched him curiously for a second before she laughed good-naturedly.

"You're such a dope when you think about Tony," she said and Steve blushed bright pink, opening his mouth to protest and then closing it when he couldn't think of anything to say.

"Didn't you ever date?" he asked her instead and she nodded, an absent look passing over her face for a second before it disappeared.

"I've never seen you with anyone," Steve mused and thanked Phil when he brought over his coffee.

"I haven't dated for five years," Natasha responded softly and Steve cupped his hands around his coffee, warmth from the beverage seeping into his skin.

"When you care about someone too much and you start to believe they'll always be there for you, it'll always end up hurting you," she said and she looked regretful, sad and vulnerable and Steve felt his throat clench up with a feeling he couldn't place. Natasha had always been strong and vibrant and she reminded him of Peggy's determination. He looked away from her, down at his hands and let out a shuddering breath.

"What if-" he looked up, an agonised look in his eyes. "What if I _can't_ let go of her? What if I end up hurting Tony?"

Natasha reached over the table and covered his hand with her smaller one.

"Steve," she said and her voice was quiet, reassuring. "The past is hard to let go of, but never doubt that you won't overcome it. They say that time heals all wounds, remember? It did for me, and it will for you too, one day when you're ready and when the right people are in your life."

She smiled at him and he smiled back tentatively, biting his bottom lip.

"If you don't tell anyone," Natasha said softly and smiled, "I still believe the right person is out there somewhere and I still believe that I'll find them one day."

* * *

When Tony turned up at the cafe, he was practically vibrating with excitement. Steve smiled affectionately at him, his eyes crinkling and something about him seemed to soften.

He paid for the coffees when Tony started gushing about something he wanted to show Steve at the same time as trying to apologize to Natasha who just smiled and shook her head.

"Thanks for the talk," he said, casting her a grateful look as Tony grabbed his hand and led him outside. He saw her nod at him and smiled.

"Tony," he said when the brunette paused for breath.

"Uh," he said out of breath, "yes?"

Steve just cupped his jaw and kissed him, cutting off the flow of words. Tony didn't protest, his hands finding their way to Steve's chest and then hooking behind Steve's neck.

"What did you want to show me?" Steve asked when they broke apart for breath.

"It's a surprise," Tony answered cryptically, resting his forehead against Steve and Steve sighed in mock exasperation. He let Tony lead him through the streets until they reached Tony's place.

Steve glanced at Tony, eyes questioning but he didn't respond, instead opening the door and stepping inside. Steve followed, unaccustomed to the place.

"Sorry I haven't shown you over yet," Tony said, shrugging, "I just don't have very many... good memories here."

"Hey, that's alright," Steve said and squeezed Tony's hand. The brunette smiled, the tender smile which he reserved just for Steve and he couldn't help but smile back. Tony led him straight through the house which was huge, but not homely and Steve could see why Tony spent all his time at Steve's place. They reached the garden and Steve saw in an instant that it was the most cared for part of the house. A tiny stream trickled around the edge and past the side of the house. The bushes grew healthily and a giant oak stretched its boughs out wide, the lower ones dipping down to brush against the ground.

"Close your eyes," Tony said and Steve obliged, relying on Tony's hand in his for guidance. He felt the smaller man give his hand a tug and he took a step gingerly, then another one. Tony led him forward, telling him when there was a step and patiently guiding his unsteady feet.

They stopped and Tony squeezed his fingers, "open your eyes, Steve."

Steve blinked, eyes adjusting to the fading sunlight and sucked in a sharp breath.

"Oh my god, Tony," and for a moment, he just stood, looking up at the treehouse as Tony hummed contentedly and rested his head on Steve's chest, wrapping his arms around him.

"I fixed it just for us, Steve," he confided and Steve snaked his arms around the brunette and rested his cheek on Tony's hair.

"It's amazing."

"I made it when I was a kid, but it was smaller and I spent a lot of time up there when I wanted to get away from the house. Most of it had broken down or fallen apart but after we built the fort, I decided to fix it up, make it a bit bigger while I was at it."

They stood for a minute under the branches of the oak before Tony looked up and said, "let's go up."

Steve followed Tony up a ladder on the other side of the tree. The treehouse was amazing, fitting perfectly into the shape of the tree and if you glanced past it from the ground, it would be easy to miss. Steve smiled at the small carving on top of the doorway which read 'Steve and Tony.'

Inside, it was decked out completely with blankets and pillows like their fort had been, and christmas lights were strung up around the sides.

Tony sprawled out, resting his head on Steve's stomach where he was lying propped up on a stack of pillows as Steve traced his fingers over the rich timber.

"You're amazing," Steve said, looking over to Tony who hummed deeply in response. Steve stared at him for a while, tracing the lines on his shoulders, his face, pausing at his closed eyelids.

"Thank you," he whispered and he wasn't just thanking him for the tree-house.

Steve didn't remember falling asleep, only the feeling of his fingers entwined with Tony's and their soft breathing as the light faded to darkness outside.

* * *

They had organised a surprise party for Clint's birthday. Tony had insisted on hiring the biggest, most colourful, giant bouncy castle he could find. Steve had made a giant pinata and they had ordered a giant rainbow ice-cream cake and piles of childish candy. Clint, unsuspecting as always, was shepherded to the front of Tony's place without incident or suspicion.

"Wait, what?" he asked Bruce when he was pushed towards the door but Bruce just shushed him and nudged him through the door.

"What's going-" Clint started to say then stared in shock as the roof erupted with about a hundred sparklers, three party horns were blown in his face, a torrent of confetti exploded everywhere and an enormous banner unrolled from the ceiling which read in pink and glittery letters 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY CLINT.'

Tony appeared out of nowhere and took a picture of Clint's gaping jaw and Steve waved at him from across the room. Clint let out a squeal that sounded a little girly to everyone's ears.

"Happy Birthday!" Steve called and waved and Clint waved back. Thor went and clapped him on the back which made him double over and then he caught sight of the cake and ran over with a squeak of "rainbow ice-cream cake!"

Steve smiled, walking over to grab Tony's hand and join the rest of their friends at the cake table.

"Isn't cake normally served later?" Natasha asked in a skeptical voice but Clint just ignored her, shoving a spoon directly into the cake as everyone stared.

"Isn't cake normally meant to be cut?" Tony mock whispered to Steve who shrugged and whispered back, "I have no idea any more."

"Let us celebrate!" Thor said loudly and joined Clint in eating the cake with much gusto. Steve managed to cut a piece to share with Tony before it was all gone.

"Sweet Jesus," Clint crowed when they went out the back and he caught sight of the bouncy castle. He high-tailed it inside and they all had more fun than they probably should have by shoving each other at the inflated walls and tripping each other up as they tried to stay upright.

Clint basked in the flow of candy from Steve's homemade pinata and they all pigged out on pizza and soft drinks until they lay worn out and piled all over each other in the grass.

Tony lifted his head off Steve's stomach where he was stroking Tony's hair and rolled over, pulling his phone out of his pocket.

"Date idea 11, make a video and put it on Youtube," he whispered to Steve who smiled and shifted to accommodate Tony next to him.

He tapped the screen a few times until Steve could see himself and Tony in the frame. He blinked a few times before whispering to Tony, "is it recording?"

"Uh, I think so" Tony said and squinted against the sun in his eyes.

"Hi I'm Tony Stark-" he began to stay before Steve cut him off, "Tony, don't put your full name on the internet."

"And uh, this is Steve," he continued unfazed. "We're dating and right now we're at my place throwing a surprise birthday party for my friend, Clint."

He passed the phone to Clint who was lying with his legs draped over Bruce's back as he battled pixels on his gameboy.

"What are you giving me that for," Clint said and Steve whispered, "we're making a video for Youtube."

"Oooooh."

He grabbed Bruce's arm who protested loudly and yanked him over. "I'm Clint and I'm awesomesauce and as you can see my friends are really friggin awesome cos they got me a giant bouncy castle and ice cream cake for my birthday and pinatas and pizza and this is my boyfriend Brucie."

Bruce turned around and squinted at the screen. "Hi, I'm Bruce and he's an idiot," he said and prodded Clint in the cheek. "Also, his jokes are really really bad."

"Oh no, why did you remind him?" Natasha's voice floated over from the other side of their pile.

"What do you call cheese that isn't yours?" Clint said.

There was a moment of silence as everyone thought about it. "Aye, what do you call it?" Thor asked loudly.

There was a dramatic pause and then a mighty sigh from Bruce. Clint pinched his cheek then crowed, "NACHO CHEESE," and everyone groaned. Tony sniggered and Steve smiled fondly, pressing his cheek into Tony's hair.

"Pass it here," Natasha said and Clint passed it to her. "Clint is an idiot and you shouldn't listen to anything he says because you'll either end up in hospital or causing an international incident. Also, I'm Natasha and if you mess with me I'll take my pet moose over to your house and let him pee on everything you love."

She saluted the screen and passed it to Thor who beamed and boomed loudly, "hello, I am Thor and this is my lady Jane."

"That is not how you hold it," Jane said quietly and turned the phone around for him.

"Ah, yes I was not holding the device properly," Thor said and beamed.

"Dude, your technological illiteracy is giving me herpes," Clint said and Tony snickered.

"I apologise, I shall return this to you know," Thor said and tried passing it back to Tony but dropped it and ended up launching it at his face.

"Ow," Tony groused, rubbing at his face as he fumbled and tried to stop the recording.

"This is going to be the worst video ever," he commented wryly. Steve sat up and examined his cheek with an endearingly concerned look.

"I am deeply remorseful for-" Thor started to say but Tony waved his apologies away saying, "no harm done."

He fiddled with his phone for a minute before lying back down and mashing his face into Steve's shoulder.

"It's uploading guys, prepare to be Youtube famous in a few days."

Bruce groaned melodramatically and Tony smiled into Steve's shoulder. Steve smiled back even though Tony couldn't see him and curled his fingers in Tony's hair.

* * *

The phone rang, bringing Steve to wakefulness and he sat up, reaching for it.

"Yes?" he asked blearily and blinked a few times. Tony's eyelids flickered and he opened his eyes sluggishly. They were lying on the couch and Wall-E was still playing on the screen.

"Is that Steve?" asked a voice and it sounded like Clint. "Mmhm."

Tony yawned loudly, pawing at Steve's chest and mumbled, "did you fall asleep?" Steve nodded and smiled affectionately down at his ruffled hair.

"Ah, it's Clint and we're gonna go paintball tomorrow, you guys coming?"

"Hey, Tony," Steve said gently, rubbing circles into his back, "wanna go paintball tomorrow?"

Tony squashed his face into Steve's stomach, wrinkling his nose and after a moment he nodded.

"Yep," Steve said into the receptor, "we're in."

"Awesome!" he heard Clint hoot on the other end then, "Bruce! They're coming too!"

"Awesome, meet tomorrow at 8?" Steve confirmed and they hung up.

"Steeeeeve," Tony whined into his shirt and Steve hooked his arms under Tony's armpits and pulled him up.

"Yes?" he asked fondly and let Tony bury his head in his neck.

"You're cute, Steve," he mumbled.

* * *

Steve was backed up against a wall, his gun held slanted across his chest and Tony was saying something at his elbow.

"-extraordinarily rude of them and ow!"

He turned just in time to see Tony swipe a finger through the purple paint that had begun to slide down the side of his leg.

"That's Clint and Bruce's colour," he said and risked a glance around the corner of the cabin.

"Follow, Tony," and Tony gave him a giddy grin. He ducked around the edge, staying close to the side. He knew Natasha and Thor were somewhere on the other side and kept an eye out for any signs of them.

Tony swore loudly as his footing slipped and Steve heard someone else swear and then Natasha spun around the corner, Thor quick on her heels. In the fray, Steve vaguely registered the pelt of paintballs on his arms and torso while he was too busy covering Tony and trying to knock off as many shots as he could.

Clint dropped down from the roof and- how the hell had he even gotten up there? Bruce edged around the corner and was splattered instantly with paint as he got caught in the crossfire.

Not much after that registered in Steve's brain except for lots of shouting and some laughter muffled by their headgear and paint absolutely _everywhere_ and the sensation of trying to shoot and cover Tony and not slip in paint.

In the end they got pulled out and reprimanded for firing at at close range and disobeying the rules. Tony gave Steve an apologetic look from under his lashes and Steve hid his smile behind his hand.

"I'm pretty sure I scored the most hits," Natasha said and it was a pretty convincing argument since they were covered in paint and most noticeably, Natasha's signature dark gray paint.

"Naw, I'm pretty sure _I_ did," Clint said and no one felt like disagreeing because Clint's purple was splashed over everyone too.

Natasha side eyed him from over her coffee. No one said anything. They were pleasantly surprised when Phil let them into the cafe without yelling at them about getting paint on his furniture and no one wanted to fire him up when he was in a good mood.

"I'm pretty sure you wouldn't get it past the administration staff in _Ambassadors_," Natasha countered slyly which earned her everyone's attention and Clint's muffled choke.

Tony gave Steve a loaded look which he returned. _Ambassadors_ was the five star hotel three streets down which had a rooftop pool. Ever since Clint had commented that it was really 'swanky,' they had an ongoing round of daring each other to sneak in to it. No one had actually _done_ it, but Clint had tried and chickened out when an admin staff had asked him what he was doing.

"I'd do it if you did it," Clint countered and Natasha levelled him a cool look.

"You're so on, Barton."

"Hey!" Tony butted in, "you're not going to have all the fun! We'll go in separately and meet on the top- I bags going with Steve."

"I'm in just to watch Clint bullshit his way in," Bruce said, and Steve heaved a long-suffering sigh.

"A worthy endeavour," Thor agreed loudly and it was settled.

* * *

They met in the lobby wearing their swimming gear underneath normal clothing and Steve watched as Bruce shifted self-consciously under the gaze of suspicious lobby staff patrolling the corridors.

Natasha went first, simply waltzing into the elevators as if she was as guest and tossed them a wink across her shoulder before disappearing. No one even tried to stop her.

"I'm next," Clint said loudly and he half-galoped, half-shuffled towards the elevator, dragging a reluctant Bruce by the elbow. Tony raised an eyebrow. A staff member made a beeline towards them and Tony nudged Steve with his elbow.

"Do you need any assistance?" he asked Clint too politely. Clint's face went through an interesting montage of expressions from an intense look of panic for a split second to a shit-eating smirk.

"No, thank you very much, we're just going back to our room, upstairs... where we're staying..." he trailed off and when the man didn't say anything, added, "together."

Bruce looked mortified, blushing furiously. The man raised an eyebrow but kept a professionally blank expression, "of course. Feel free to ask any member of the staff for assistance should the need arise."

Clint grinned and bolted towards the elevators, throwing the rest of the group a maniacal look of glee over his shoulder. Bruce turned around to give them a pained look and Steve laughed.

"I shall go next," Thor announced and strode towards the elevators once they were gone. No one stopped him although one of the staff eyed him doubtfully. Steve winced when Thor found it necessary to smash the elevator button with his palm.

When he was gone and it was just the two of them left, Tony grabbed his hand and tugged him towards the elevators.

"This is terrifying," he whispered under his breath to Tony as he avoided making eye contact with three suspicious staff. Tony looked back at him with a sly grin and Steve couldn't help but smile back, blushing the slightest bit.

Steve almost had a heart attack when someone said 'excuse me' from right next to him. He spun around, tripping clumsily over his own feet and tried to smile but ended up grimacing in terror. To his endless relief, Tony stepped in front of him, shielding Steve from the concierge's piercing gaze.

"Good evening gentlemen, do you require any assistance?" he asked coldly.

"Nope, we're good," Tony said smoothly and flashed him a brilliant smile.

"If you would like, we can have some refreshments delivered by room service to you in room..." he trailed off, persisting and Steve could almost see Tony's brain working as he jumped a step ahead.

"Room 289, actually, refreshments sound perfect," he said and continued after a second of pondering, "two pina coladas and perhaps a platter of fruit."

"Of course," the attendant answered and if he was thrown by the answer, he didn't show it, "would you like us to put it on the room?"

Tony appeared to think about it before he pulled a bill out of his pocket and handed it over, "nah, don't worry about it."

He nodded at Tony, "it'll be right up."

"Keep the change," Tony answered, smiling widely and gave Steve a push towards the elevators from behind his back. Steve quickly bolted away from the concierge with Tony quick on his heels, his hand sliding into Steve's.

Once they were in the elevator, Steve breathed a sigh of relief as Tony hit the button for the roof.

"What's going to happen when the people in room 289 get food they didn't order?" he asked Tony who chuckled.  
"I don't think they'd forfeit free food, Steve," and Steve laughed breathlessly because that was fair enough and because they had called it so close and just because _Tony_. Tony laughed too and then he kissed Steve and because they were both giddy and excited neither of them realised they'd reached the top floor until Clint's catcalls wafted over to them from the poolside. Steve broke away from Tony immediately, blushing a brilliant shade of red but Tony just grabbed his hand and dragged him out of the elevator and over to the others.

"What took you so loooooong?" Clint asked in a singsong voice and wiggled his eyebrows.

"The concierge stopped us so we made up a room number and shouted them free food," Tony said with a grin which earned a round of applause and some cheering from Clint and Natasha across the pool.

"It was all Tony, I just stuttered and blush-," Steve started to which Tony turned around kissed him quiet.

"Ew gross, guys, grow up," Clint muttered before he dived into the pool with a splash. Steve turned around, smiling stupidly, just in time to see Natasha dive bomb Clint with a ferocious war cry. Bruce brought up an arm to shield himself from the torrent of water then jumped in after her when he saw her pinning Clint to the bottom of the pool.

"Gerroff my boyfriend!" he shouted, tackling the flailing ball of limbs that was in some way Clint and Natasha.

Steve laughed and Tony pulled his shirt over his head, tossing it onto the nearest deck chair, "come on, Steve!"

Steve followed suit, laughing and smiling and choking on pool water when Tony jumped in on top of him.

"Tony!" he said indignantly but he was laughing and so was Tony. Everyone held their breaths when Thor jumped in, showering water over everything including the deck chairs, water sloshing over the sides of the pool.

"Stacks on Steve!" Tony shouted and dived on top of Steve.

"Wha-" Steve started to say but before he could finish he was tackled underwater by two grown men, one grown woman and two obnoxiously large children.

* * *

They were curled up on Steve's couch, Tony lying in between his legs with his cheek pressed against Steve's chest and his arms curled possessively around him. Steve shifted slightly, lifting his feet to prop them on the end of the couch. Tony hummed into Steve's wrist while he cradled his fingers around Tony's jaw.

"Hey, sunshine," Tony said quietly with the smile he reserved specially for Steve, a soft quirk of the lips as his eyelashes dipped down in a blink before he looked up to gaze into Steve's eyes.

"Hey, Tony," Steve answered just as quietly and moved his hand to tilt Tony's head up, leaning forward to press a soft kiss to his lips.

Tony smiled and Steve watched his eyes blink closed as he pulled himself up slightly to deepen the kiss, hand coming up to tangle in Steve's hair.

Steve closed his eyes and succumbed to what he was feeling, a swell of something which set deep in his bones and brought warmth to his fingertips, accompanied by the smallest trace of an ache for something which he'd rather have forgotten.

So he did, let himself get lost in the moment with Tony, sliding his hands up Tony's back and mapping out every inch of him. He kissed Tony with everything he could give because Tony was the most precious thing in the world. He kissed Tony until their lips were red and swollen and he didn't stop.

Tony had moved his hands under his shirt, and Steve could hear him breathing, long pulls of air which tingled over his skin when he breathed out again. They kept kissing until he felt Tony tug at the hem of his shirt and broke momentarily to get it over his head.

"Tony," he breathed and Tony hummed contentedly, eyes soft as he watched Steve with something akin to complete adoration.

Tony was kissing him again and Steve sighed into his mouth, reaching to lace his fingers with Tony's. There were rough, gentle fingers moving up his neck and stopping at his jaw and he shifted to accommodate Tony straddling him. He tilted his head up into Tony's mouth as the brunette straightened up, knees on either side of Steve.

He mapped out Tony's back, hands roaming over it, sliding up the hem of his shirt. They parted just long enough for Steve to help Tony get it off and then Steve couldn't think anything clearly except _Tony Tony Tony_.

"Bedroom," Tony eventually said in the midst of kissing and roaming hands and Steve was more than happy to oblige, sliding his arms around Tony's waist and thighs and standing up as Tony locked his legs behind his back.

They took a long time making it to the bedroom, never breaking contact and stopping every few metres. When Steve finally made it to the bed, he leaned over it, letting Tony gently untangle himself.

"Hey, Steve," Tony said softly when Steve sat down on the edge of the bed, "are you okay?"

Steve turned to look at him for a long moment.

"Yeah," he breathed, swallowing and Tony sat up, placing a gentle hand on his cheek.

"Hey, it's okay," he whispered, "do you want to stop?"

Steve leaned into the smaller man and Tony let him, not saying anything when Steve rested his forehead against Tony's, his hand finding Steve's and squeezing gently.

"I don't think I'm ready for this," Steve said eventually, his voice unsteady. Tony lifted his hand to tilt up Steve's downturned chin.

"That's okay," he answered and looked into Steve's eyes for a long moment to let him know he meant it.

"Thank you," Steve said at last and kissed him gratefully, carefully like Tony was the most precious thing in the world. Tony pulled him onto the bed and Steve's skin tingled where he touched him. They lay side by side, fingers idly tracing lines on each other until Steve pulled him close to bury his head in Tony's neck and they stayed like that for a while, Tony stroking his hair soothingly.

"I love you," Tony said in the quiet space of their breathing, almost too softly to hear and Steve thought he imagined it for a moment but the breath of exhaled air was as real as Tony's anchoring weight in his arms. He pulled back to kiss Tony tenderly and hummed deep in the back of his throat.

When Tony curled into him, his head snugly underneath Steve's neck, he let himself press his cheek into Tony's hair and tell himself he'd never have to let go.

Steve didn't say anything but sighed shakily into the darkness and Tony pulled him close, protecting Steve from whatever demons threatened to drown him.

* * *

_Sunshine filtering in through the blinds on the harsh white walls of the hospital room, the doctor standing in the doorway as Steve sat, too empty to say anything. He felt the squeeze of a warm hand in his bigger one but it was colder than his, too cold. Peggy smiled weakly at him, eyes kind. "Peggy," he said, voice ragged, "I promise I'll always love you." She looked at him, her lips turning down in a frown. "Steve," she said gently, "promise me you'll live your life without me." "No," Steve said, shaking his head fiercely, "I won't forget you, I won't let you go." Peggy sighed and touched Steve on the cheek with a cool finger. "That's not what I want," she breathed, "Promise me you'll be happy, Steve." Steve stayed silent for a long time. "I'll try," he whispered finally and Peggy smiled wistfully at him._

* * *

Steve didn't realise he was awake until he felt the tears staining his cheeks and even though they had spilled silently, Tony was awake, sitting up on the bed and pulling Steve into his lap.

"Steve, baby, shhh," he whispered, snaking his arms around Steve's neck, pressing his cheek to Steve's.

Steve inhaled a shuddering breath and pulled Tony close, wrapping his arms around Tony's back. He was glad for the darkness which concealed them and if he cried into Tony's shoulder helplessly, well, Tony wouldn't say anything more than a whispered 'I'm right here,' into his hair.

* * *

Steve woke again when the earliest hints of daylight snuck into his bedroom, snaking across the carpet like something not quite remembered but not quite forgotten either. He swallowed thickly, the night seeping slowly back to his sleep addled brain.

"I'm sorry," he sighed into the space between him and Tony, the slow rise and fall of his chest visible through the sheets. He swung his legs off the bed and stood slowly and when he left, he closed the door quietly behind him with a note stuck to the bedside table which read, 'I'm sorry.'

Steve shrugged on a jacket and left Tony sleeping in his apartment, looking back up at his window when he crossed the road and sighed.

"God, I'm so messed up," he whispered, rubbing his hands over his face and turned his phone off.

By eleven in the morning Steve had five voicemails.

**Five new voicemails.**

_Hey Steve, it's me… Tony. I got your note._ A pause. _Are you alright? I hope I didn't- I mean I hope you- It's just-_ A sigh. _I just hope you're okay, call me if you can- if you want to._ Beep.

**Four new voicemails.**

_Hey Steve, it's me… again. I just- If you need to you can call or… come over I guess. _Breathing. _Yeah, okay._ Beep.

**Three new voicemails.**

_Hey Steve, I just wanted to tell you that, um, what I said last night… I meant it and I-_ A breath._ I still do. We don't have to talk about it, but I just wanted to- to tell you._ Beep

**Two new voicemails.**

_Steve, whatever you're sorry for, it's okay, I don't even care, as long as you're okay. God, I hope you're okay._ Beep

**One new voicemails.**

_I miss you_. Breathing and then a deep sigh. Beep

**No new voicemails.**

Steve looked around him from where he was sitting on the grass at the park a street away from the hospital where he had first met Tony and dropped his head into his hands. He thumbed the call back button but he didn't know what to say so he put his phone back in his pocket.

* * *

Tony hadn't wanted to go back to his place after Steve had left but he didn't want to intrude on Steve's space if Steve wasn't ready. So he'd gone back to his house and tried to take his mind off everything by upgrading random things like the toaster which now had a fancy little digital plate on the side which let you inscribe whatever you wanted onto your toast.

He was lying on the couch, the sky a dark backdrop of navy and it was raining heavily, the thundering droplets all he could hear as he flicked through channels. He barely heard the knock on his door and he froze, heartbeat suddenly doing double time.

Steve was standing dejectedly on the doorstep, dripping from head to toe when he opened the door and he looked like he was two breaths away from bolting.

"Hey, hey," Tony murmured, reaching out a hand to touch him on the cheek, "hey, it's okay."

He tugged Steve inside and hung up his jacket and when Steve took a tentative step towards him, Tony wrapped his arms around the taller man and he was cold and wet, and he was shaking slightly. Steve put his head on Tony's shoulder and Tony rubbed circles into his back because Steve looked like he was seconds away from crying.

"Hey, it's okay, I've got you," he whispered.

They stayed there in the middle of the hallway until Steve had stopped shaking and Tony pulled back to give him a cautious smile.

"Hey, sunshine," he said quietly and used a finger to tilt up Steve's downturned chin.

"Thanks, Tony," Steve whispered, "I… sorry."

Tony kissed him to tell him it was okay, that he still loved him if he would give him the chance to and Steve kissed back and that was... that was good.

"Come on, let's get you showered," Tony told Steve and eventually Steve complied.

* * *

"I need to think," Steve had said to him.

"Okay," he'd said in return.

"Will you- will you be okay?"

"Of course," he'd assured Steve.

That was two months ago. He'd promised himself he wouldn't call Steve or try to find him but he hadn't heard heads nor tails of him for two months. He knew Steve had to face his demons, the ones which woke him up in the middle of the night shaking and crying and he didn't deny Steve his space but God, he missed him and he wasn't going to pretend he wasn't still hopelessly in love with him.

And now he'd gotten a call which offered him a six month job in Argentina, the sort that would leave you with more money than you knew what to do with and a position high enough to secure whatever government favours were in their power to grant and he didn't know what to do.

So he left a message for Steve, the first message he'd left in two months despite restless nights and the sudden onset of a haunting loneliness.

**The person you are calling is not currently available. Please leave a message after the tone.****_ Beep._**

_Hey, Steve, It's me,Tony. I know I said I wouldn't call you and uh, two months is pretty good, right? But there's a job, you know, the high paid, hard to refuse sort of job for six months in Argentina. The guy who offered it to me is the sort of persuasive, manipulative bloke who's hard to disagree with and he's got a flight for me to go down next Tuesday at eight in the morning and I- thought I'd tell you in case- in case you... I don't know. I just- _A sigh._ I don't know, Steve. I don't know what to do, honestly. I didn't want to take it but I waited for you and I don't know how long I can wait- I don't know where to go from here._ A long pause, then a whisper. _We can start over, Steve. If you want. I don't know what you're facing but I can help you if you'd- if I could. Just- I don't know. Call me if you- if you can. _Beep.

Steve didn't call him and on the morning of his flight Tony woke up, upset and distraught. He checked his phone for a missed call, anything, but there were no messages, no voicemails and he _hated_ his phone.

Bitterly, he picked up a screwdriver and took apart his phone until he could lay it out in it's smallest pieces across his worktable and still feel only the slightest bit better about it afterwards.

Sighing, Tony packed his suitcase and refused to cry the tears which mocked his misery.

"If you love somebody, let them go," he whispered as he locked the door, "if they return, they were always yours… if they don't, then they never were."

* * *

Steve woke with the sun and rolled out of bed, dropping off the side onto the balls of his feet and threw open the curtains. He showered and threw on a shirt, drying his hair with a towel and packed his things into his bag.

"Thank you," he told the owner of the small motel, handing back the keys he'd had for two months. The owner smiled warmly and inclined his head and Steve smiled back before he left.

He walked for an hour to the Brooklyn cemetery about ten miles away like he had done almost every day for two months and swung open the gate, walking between gravestones to the familiar headstone marked _Peggy Carter_. He sat down in front of it and placed the flowers he'd picked on top of a huge pile of flowers.

"Hey, Peggy," Steve said companionably, almost contentedly to the headstone. "I guess today's the last day I'll be here. I mean, I'll come to visit of course, but I won't be here everyday like before. You know, coming here to talk to you has made me realise that you're not coming back and that's alright. Because I found something better, and I know that you're okay with that now. By now I guess, you know Tony just as well as I do since I've spent almost two months telling you everything about him." A laugh.

"The thing is, he makes me happy. In a different way that you did because I guess you never really needed me. You did just as well on your own." A smile as he thought about Peggy's bold, undaunted grin in the face of everything.

"Tony needs me almost as much as I need him. Which is- which is another thing I never really thought I'd need."

"I guess I just came today to say goodbye." Steve stood up and ran his fingers lightly over the top of her headstone.

"It took an awfully long time to come to terms with this," he mused thoughtfully, "but for the first time, everything is really okay. Good even."

"I won't forget you," he promised, smiling.

_That's not what I want. _

_Promise me you'll be happy, Steve. _

"Im happy," he whispered into the morning mist curling around his feet. "Thank you, Peggy."

"Goodbye," he said as he left, walking back down the paths with his hands in his pockets.

* * *

He caught a taxi cab.

**One new voicemail. **

_Hey Steve, it's me, Tony. _

Steve smiled. He had missed Tony's voice terribly. Then suddenly, he wasn't smiling anymore. He checked the time on the dashboard. 7:12.

"Shit." The cab driver raised his eyebrows.

"How quickly can you get to the international airport?" he asked.

"'Bout fifty minutes, son."

"Make it thirty and I'll double the fare," he said, dialing Tony's number.

* * *

He rang Tony's number five times to no avail, receiving the message tone each time.

The traffic was hitting peak time and at two streets away from the airport the roads were crammed full.

Steve handed the driver all the cash in his wallet, thanked him and took off, weaving between cars as fast as he could run.

7:58.

Sprinting into the airport, he checked the announcements board.

_Argentina, Argentina, Argen- there. Flight AA-190 to Argentina, scheduled departure at 8am, gate 47._


	4. Epilogue

Steve was vaguely aware of someone yelling at him to halt, or stop, or something of the like. He ignored them, sprinting down the corridors and turning at intersection, pausing only long enough to read the sign.

He turned down a relatively empty corridor, scattering alarmed passengers in his wake and saw 'GATE 47' printed above the lounge area.

The pleasant smiles of the hostesses standing at the ticket barrier quickly became alarmed and turned hostile but Steve pushed past them before they could so much as lift a hand.

He sprinted down the jet bridge and someone was in front of him, carrying a suitcase dejectedly.

"Tony?" he shouted as loudly as he could and for a split second he thought it wasn't him, but then the familiar cascade of messy brown hair faded into his view as Tony turned around slowly and dropped his suitcase.

He reached Tony's side in three more strides, coming to a stop an inch away from, almost knocking them both over.

"Steve?" Tony whispered in shock and surprise and Steve nodded, nodded and kissed him hard, bringing up his hands to cradle Tony's face between his palms.

Tony stiffened then relaxed immediately, melting into Steve's hands, and sighed deeply into his mouth.

"You came back" he whispered when they broke apart, then "I knew you would come."

"Of course I did," Steve smiled, an amused smile playing around the corner of his lips.

"Tony?"

"Yes?" Tony smiled, brilliant, _happy_.

"I loved you all along," Steve said simply and kissed him again.

Then airport security belatedly caught up with them and detained both of them while delaying the flight for an hour.

* * *

The airport had to let them go eventually though, and they did, in Steve's opinion partly thanks to a 20 something year old who saw the looks Tony distracted him with, dreamy, dopey, content and waved her hand over many sections of protocol which would otherwise have taken possibly hours to slog through.

Not that they didn't spend enough time in the airport as officials combed through practically every inch of identification and every record they could get their hands on like their criminal history (which, for the record was non existent) and listening to lectures on the consequences of security breaches, blah, blah, blah. Eventually though, they were allowed to leave when the evidence did nothing but confirm their innocence and they caught a cab back to Steve's apartment.

* * *

Steve stood in the kitchen in his boxers as Tony shuffled in sporting the same thing and yawned widely. He grinned when he saw Steve and picked his way over to him, wrapping his arms around him as Steve upended the pan he was holding onto a clean plate and went to the fridge.

"Whatcha doing?" he asked Steve through another yawn.

"Making breakfast," Steve replied, smiling and turned around to kiss Tony slowly, thoroughly.

"Mmhm," Tony agreed happily into his mouth and sighed when Steve turned away to pull out a box of blueberries. He watched curiously, still not fully awake as Steve poured half the box onto the plate and took it over, pulling along Tony who had latched onto his arm in the meantime.

"Clint invited us to go down to the cafe later today with the rest of the guys," he said and Tony beamed at him dopily.

"Love you," Steve whispered into his ear and let Tony sit in his lap and tangle their fingers together.

"Love you too," Tony mumbled around a mouthful of food and Steve smiled widely, suddenly and inexplicably happy.


End file.
